Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Geography

Economy: Craft Production

Continued to be regulated by associations called guilds (groups of persons who worked in the same association) and the domestic system. Trade was dominated by economic powers such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, and the United Provinces.

Social Conflicts

Taxes burdened ordinary people to pay for military expenses and luxuries for the court. Nobles demanded higher rents and services from peasants, leading to peasant impoverishment. The wealthy bourgeoisie benefited from buying lands at low prices. Urban and peasant revolts ensued due to growing taxation and food shortages.

Peace and War

Philip II and the Duke of Lerma pursued a peace policy, strengthening the treasury. Spain engaged in various treaties and wars, including... Continue reading "Economic, Social, and Political Changes in Europe: 16th-17th Century" »

Cities vs. Villages

A city is a place with a population exceeding 10,000 inhabitants. Cities are characterized by high-rise buildings, factories, businesses, and historical districts. In contrast, villages are smaller settlements with limited businesses, few inhabitants, fewer services, and a predominantly agricultural economy.

Pre-Industrial Cities

In the pre-industrial era, less than 10% of the population resided in cities, which typically housed between 5,000 to 10,000 people. These cities served various functions:

• Military
• Administrative
• Economic
• Religious

The Classic City (9th-8th Centuries BC)

During this period, Phoenicians and Greeks established trading posts along the coasts of Hispania. The Romanization of these areas marked the beginning... Continue reading "From Ancient Towns to Modern Metropolises: Understanding Urban Development" »

Southern Europe

Geographic Features

Mountains and Peninsulas

• Pyrenees Mountains: Form a natural border between Spain and France.
• Undersea Mountains: Contribute to the formation of many islands in Southern Europe.
• Alps: Europe's highest mountain range.
• Apennines: Run along the Italian Peninsula.
• Balkan Peninsula: Home to Greece.
• Iberian Peninsula: Location of Spain and Portugal.

Water Bodies and Climate

• Mediterranean Sea: Influences the climate and culture of Southern European countries.
• Mediterranean Climate: Characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters, ideal for growing crops.
• Tagus River: The longest river in Southern Europe.
• Po River: Flows through a fertile and densely populated area in Italy.

Culture and History

Ancient Greece

• Democracy:

Trade Diversion and Creation

Trade diversion: A shift in the pattern of trade from low-cost world producers to higher-cost CU or FTA members.

-e: trade diversion

Trade creation: An expansion in world trade that results from the formation of a preferential trade arrangement.

B+d: trade creation

Rules of Origin in Regional Economic Integration

Define rules of origin and which form of regional economic integration requires them.

Rules of origin are required in Free Trade Areas to avoid trade deflection and prevent export companies from outside the FTA from benefiting unfairly. These rules are the criteria established to determine the national source of a product. They are important because duties and restrictions often depend upon the source of imports.... Continue reading "Understanding Trade Agreements: Creation, Diversion, and Types" »

UK Deer Species

Six deer species are found in the UK.

Sporadic Species

Of these, three species are found sporadically in Central England:

Red Deer

Red Deer are the largest of the indigenous species, found in the Highlands, Southwest Scotland, and Southwest England.

Sika Deer

Sika Deer originated in the Far East and were brought to Ireland in 1860. They are mostly found in Scotland, Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Dorset.

Chinese Water Deer

Chinese Water Deer are a wetland species found mainly in the Fens of East Anglia.

Common Species

The other three species are more commonly found across the UK:

Fallow Deer

Fallow Deer were indigenous, believed to have been driven to the Mediterranean by glaciers in the Ice Age and reintroduced during the Norman Conquest.

• Herding

Features of MRTA

In the best cases, RTAs can serve as catalysts of deeper trade liberalization, focal points of inter-state cooperation, incubators of new WTO+1 trade rules, drivers of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and testing grounds for mechanisms to adjust to a more open trading environment.

Challenges of NAFTA

First, the business of shipping goods across borders needs an overhaul. Crossing from Mexico to the United States, waiting times are far too long; much of the infrastructure is antiquated; railway and haulage crews still change over at the border. Measures to allow the pre-clearance of goods before they reach the frontier are held up by America’s needless insistence that its customs agents should be allowed to carry guns, against... Continue reading "NAFTA: Benefits, Challenges, and the Gravity Model" »

Endangered Animals

Pollution is very bad for the world because it causes many problems.

Firstly, there are problems such as degradation of the landscape, deforestation, fires, damage to nature, and pollution of the seas, streets, and atmosphere. In addition, pollution affects both people and animals, leading to diseases, allergies, cancer, and other health issues.

Secondly, there are solutions such as using public transport, cycling, or walking instead of cars, and replacing old household appliances with new energy-efficient ones.

In my opinion, we must take action to improve the world, as the consequences of pollution are severe.

Tourism

The tourism industry

Tourism is the temporary movement of people from their place of residence to another place in order to enjoy their free time. Tourism is therefore related to leisure. The development of the tourism industry involves creating the necessary transport and hospitality infrastructure to meet demand: airports, roads, accommodation, restaurants, etc. The main characteristic of the tourism industry is seasonal variation or seasonality.

Repercussions of tourism

It represents a significant source of revenue for a country. It creates jobs, but many of them are temporary, due to seasonality. It improves cultural relations between citizens of different countries. Destroys natural landscapes. In developing countries, the destination... Continue reading "The Impact of Tourism on the Environment and Economy" »